Beyond Good & Evil 2 studio rocked by reported gov’t labor investigation

Enlarge / The team that brought you this Beyond Good & Evil 2 concept art is not doing well, according to a new report.

If you’ve been waiting patiently for Beyond Good & Evil 2 since its first announcement back in 2008, we have some bad news about the studio responsible for the long-delayed project’s development. Kotaku now reports that Ubisoft Montpellier has lost its managing director amid a local government investigation into labor policies that have left “an unprecedented number of developers experiencing burnout and going on sick leave.”

Ubisoft Montpellier, which also developed the first Beyond Good & Evil two decades ago now, is being looked at by its local branch of the Inspection du Travail, according to “three sources familiar with the development,” cited by Kotaku. In December, that office reportedly started looking into reports that dozens of developers had taken extended leave over stress or sickness over the last year. Employees have been interviewed regarding their health and well-being by a third party, according to the report.

“The health and wellness of our teams is an ongoing priority,” an Ubisoft spokesperson told Kotaku. “Given the length of the development cycle with Beyond Good & Evil 2, the Montpellier development team is undergoing well-being assessments through a third-party for preventative measures and to evaluate where additional support may be needed.”